AUGUST 30, 1947

HYDE PARK, Friday—Yesterday we went to the Dutchess County Fair. Our children, who love horses, had
a wonderful time watching the horse show. I particularly enjoyed the class of pony
mares with their colts.

Miss Deborah Dows won first prize with a little black colt that had more spirit than
any small animal I have seen in a long time. The poor little thing was terrified but
it would not be tamed, and it pitted its strength against the strength of those who
tried to move it around. It pulled away and backed and reared in a way that would
have done credit to a much stronger animal. It was a little beauty and, someday, I am sure it will make a fine pony.

I enjoyed the bareback riding group, too, but Elliott and I left the children and went off to look at the cows. The Guernseys were our
particular interest. Then we wandered on to farm machinery and home bureau and grange
exhibits. After buying ice cream and peanuts, we finished in the 4-H Club building,
where we admired the cattle and chickens and handiwork of these boys and girls who,
I think do as good a job as their parents.

Some of you may have been reading Bill Mauldin's comments on the carnival side of
country fairs. I think I agree with him that they do not seem to have much real glamour
anymore. Perhaps that is because I am getting old. Our children, however, discovered a booth
where they could buy water pistols—and that was fatal. We banned them from the house,
but they used the pistols so successfully out of doors that they were soaked in the
short interval between their return home and the time it took us to put supper on
the table.

* * *

I have had quite a number of letters from women who are in agreement with the Australian
woman whose letter I recently quoted in this column. They all want to do something
to ensure peace in the world. The greater part of them wants to start some movement, a new organization or a worldwide union of women. In fact,
I find there are one or two of these already in embryo.

However, to me this is rather distressing, because it is still practically impossible
to reach great numbers of women throughout the world and hardly possible to have them
organize so that they can take action together. Such a possibility seems to me a very
long way off.

Very few women seem to think, as I do, that at present the most we can do is to convince
ourselves and our families and our neighbors that peace has to begin within each individual's
heart and has to be lived by each of us every day. Then the quality of citizenship
one develops in one's own area, whether it is a village or a city or has wider horizons,
will have influence in gradually widening the circle of people who see that peace
depends on our daily actions wherever we are.

E. R.

(WORLD COPYRIGHT, 1947, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.; REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR
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